NoBs Digital Dogbowl
The NoBs Digital Dogbowl Newsletter:
Keeping you up to date and informed on the latest, coolest, and outrageous happenings inside the world of NoBS Photo Success.
Loaded with Free photography tips, Photoshop tutorials, photo reviews,
and other totally relevant essentials. Be sure to check out the whole thing!
Hungry for more? Visit our digital photography forum.
November 2008 Digital Dogbowl
Sleeping Children Around The World Need Your Help
NoBS is kicking off its annual fundraiser to help purchase bedkits for needy children with a new challenge for NoBS members. Last year, well over $7,000 was raised to purchase bed kits. This year the goal is $11,000 for Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW). The goal amount includes a $1,000 donation to be made by Rob Provencher and James Hodgins.
Each bedkit costs $35 and 100% of your donations goes to purchasing the bedkits for needy children. To learn more about what SCAW does and how it all works go to this link .
Donations can be made by going to this page .
They Came, They Saw, They Cried: An Inferno Recap
The 2008 Inferno in Nashville lived up to the hype. NoBS members were treated to information-packed presentations on marketing, posing, lighting, and photoshop techniques by Rob Provencher, James Hodgins, Steve Harrington, Marilyn Sholin, Mama Shan, Andy Armstrong, and Kris Gay. Dury's and Silverlake had fantastic show specials and Andy Armstrong gave away quite a few copies of design house along with some monkey t-shirts.
Yes, we laughed, we cried and we made new friends. There was not a dry eye in the house, right Jason? If you missed out this year, here is a partial list of Inferno-related links so that you, too, may bask in the glory that was Inferno:
Rob's Top Ten Powerpoint Presentation
More Notes From The Inferno by melissalsi
Some NoBS Headshots at the Grind
Immediate Results From Inferno
Inferno Members- I Thee Challenge
More From Steve & Shelley's Class
Catch An Interview With A NoBS Member!
Several of you have been contacted in the past few months to do interviews for NoBS on an internet radio station. Well, we'd like to start sharing those interviews with the rest of the NoBS gang. Without further ado, we bring you an interview with our very own NoBS Stalker, Daniel Morency.
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with Expert Daniel Morency
of VTalkRadio Photography Spotlight Sponsor www.nobsphotosuccess.com |
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Making Selections, Refining and Feathering
In class whenever I start the section on making selections, I will get both rapt interest and disgust. For so many users one reason they got into Photoshop is to be able to take someone out the picture, so to speak. However, the first time they tried to use the mouse and the Lasso they are ready to toss the computer out the window. But there are some ways to make this less painful and save a computer.
Need A Jumpstart? JudyC Shares Her Paperwork
As most NoBS members are aware, JudyC (aka Judy Cormier) is one of NoBS' elite wedding photographers. Her work has graced the forum for quite some time and she continues to top herself each and every time. Not only that, she is very open about sharing her process from wedding contracts to workflow. Recently, she provided Rob and James with her goodies to share with the forum. Without further ado, we present a NoBS members' only link to JudyC's paperwork . Many thanks Judy!
A Santa Setup That Works
Tis the time of year for portraits with Santa. If you haven't tackled this before and are interested, then you are in the right place.
NoBS member, Neil Copeland, recently shared with the forum how he does his yearly Santa portraits for schools. Here's what he does:
I do Santa shoots at schools using my standard Print On Site setup... camera with two light setup and a dyesub printer which we use with Express Digital software (Darkroom Pro version) to produce packages on the spot. I have 10 different packages (I could do more or less, no difference) with the minimum sheet size being 8x10... (8x10, 2-5x7s, 4-3x5s, 8 wallets, 1-5x7+4 wallets) and can do single (a la carte) sheets or combination sets. Single sheet items go for $15 and multiple sheet items go for $10 per sheet ($20 for 2 sheet package, $30 for 3 sheet package, etc.)
Generally, the venue (school, etc.) provides the set and the Santa, I may add a background if they don't have one and I need it to screen an otherwise cluttered area, and we typically shoot for about two hours. One person handles sales and collecting order forms, marking them paid and giving them back to the customer (sometimes a volunteer helps with this), the photographer arranges the kid(s) with Santa who talks with them for a bit, then poses for the shot. Photographer marks jpg shot numbers on order form and moves on to the next one. After a few kids (5-15) they give the forms and the memory card to me, I download to laptop in preset folder, load into Darkroom program, apply image presets (sharpening, contrast, exposure, color adjustments, etc...) I can have up to four presets AND make adjustments on the fly and can add a specialty border if I want, and then I print the order according to the 10 preset package choices by hitting one button, mark the form done, and go to the next image. Less than a minute later, the prints begin to appear and either I or a volunteer assistant can pull the prints and package them with the receipt portion of their order form in a poly bag (or whatever you want to use) and place them on a pickup table for the customer. We tell them to check back in a half hour.... normally the school has some other event going on to keep them busy for awhile. In the mall they can either wait in the pickup line or go shopping a while.
In some cases I will give a percentage (10-20%) of AFTER TAX sales to the school, PTO, booster club, whatever, depending on the deal we worked out in advance. Sometimes they get nothing.
That's pretty much how I do it.
Neil
Member of the Month: Slimhim
This month's shining member of the month is Mikhail Thomas (aka Slimhim). He has been a steady fixture on the forum since May 2006 when he joined. Here is his story of how he got into photography and what went into his winning image of the month.
"The way I got started in photography was a complete accident for me. I was with two friends of mine who had been photographers for about ten years each. One of them had a photo shoot to do of a class reunion and had invited me, and the other photographer as well, to come along. After the shoot we all went out to eat at waffle house. The two of them had always talked about going into business together and this night it seemed as if it was going to finally become a reality for them! They asked me if I would want to be in it with them as an assisant.
Limited Time Offer on Craig's Actions!
NoBS member Craig Minielly recently announced a Holiday Sale on his actions. NoBS members get their usual 15% and an additional 15% off with a special code they can find here . Better still, Craig will be matching purchases of the actions volumes with donations to SCAW.
"Each Action Volume purchased will be matched with a single donation to the NoBS Sleeping Kid's Charity. So if you pick up a Starter Pack (4 Volumes), you will also be providing Four Kids with a warm and comfortable place to sleep, Studio Pack = 7 Kids Beds, and so on..."
Don't miss out on this deal, folks! Craig's Actions are among the best in the industry.
Legendary photographer and artist, Marilyn Sholin, granted an interview this month to Rob Provencher. To see the link to her interview as well as to purchase her new book, click this link .
Rob Provencher recently shared some video demonstrating how he achieves his fairy portraits. To view those videos go to this link .
Want to add your two cents to what happens at the next Inferno? Here's the post for you. Rob also shares his thoughts and plans in this thread. It's a must read!
Your Vote Is Needed
Up for debate at the moment are the dates for the next Inferno, which will be held once more in Nashville. To get your vote in, go to this link .
This month Hodgy (aka James Hodgins) shares a video tour of his new studio. James and Joce completed the studio in record time and it looks very sharp thanks to Joce's interior decorating. To see the studio click here .
Here's some recent video of Rob's Estee Lauder glamour sessions at Sears. In this video, he shares his setup and a few of the sessions. Go here to see that video.
The blog loving continues on NoBS. If you are interested in getting your blog included in the blog comment exchange, go to this page and add your blog address for inclusion.
NoBS member Chasity was able to immediately parlay some sales techniques she learned at the Inferno from fellow member kristi into her first $1,000 order. "The most I have ever gotten on a regular portrait session was $140. I totally suck at sales. I listened at the inferno and learned. " To read more about how Chasity did it, read here.
NoBS Members Share Photoshop Shortcuts
Ever wonder how to quickly close images or change the size and hardness of your brush in Photoshop? NoBS member LensCap (aka Randy Sartin) started a thread to collect Photoshop shortcuts from fellow NoBS members. To see a few of those little known shortcuts, go to this page .
Rob has put out a call for a qualified speaker to present at PPO in Northern Ontario on February 1, 2010. If you are interested, please send him an e-mail at robprov@hotmail.com.
This video comes to us courtesy of Rob. This was from a wedding Rob did back in May. To see the video, go here.
With the cost of operating a studio not getting any cheaper, many pros find it more economical to set their studio up in their home basements. With little to no overhead, it's a no brainer. However, the big tradeoff may be that your basement doesn't look quite as professional as a storefront would. Well, NoBS member Brandon Pittam recently shared with the forum that a basement studio can look just as professional and polished. To see more pictures of his studio, click here .